Saturday, June 20, 2009

Gear Review

I recently got a pair of black Sprawl V-Flex XT Competition sports from my friends at Karate Depot (they do more then just Karate). I had a chance to try them out for a couple of no-gi practices, and wanted to share my review.

Comfort:These are extremely comfortable shorts. They are made of a stretchy material that has feels nice and moves with you. It has split seams on the sides for your kicking pleasure. They have a velcro fly with a drawstring to be able to fine tune your fit. I got a pair of 36" shorts (I know i'm fat), and they fit well when velcroed tight and tied tight. I probably could have gotten away with a 34.

Performance:These shorts would work equally well for no-gi jiu jitsu as for MMA, kickboxing, boxing, or other combat training. They stay on securely with the velcro/drawstring combo, so you don't have to worry about any indecent accidents. They are very baggy, which allows full leg movement while you are working from the guard or kicking your opponent in the head. The only downside to the baggyness, is that they can bunch up when your legs are in the air from working guard. This looks funny, but doesn't effect your movement.Durability:I've only had these a week or so now, but from asking around at the gym it seems Sprawl makes some of the most durable shorts out there. Several guys have 2+ year old pairs that are still kickin' it. My only question would be how the velcro would hold up over time after multiple washings (I always wash my gear in hot water). Time will tell, but these scream of quality and I would expect them to last for a couple years.

Value:At around $50, these are an average deal for shorts. The fight short market has exploded in recent years, with everyone trying to cash in on the MMA craze. Most shorts run $50-$75, so it's important to pick a pair you will love and that will last. Sprawl is one of the original OG's in the business, and I like the fact that they are battle tested. Watch any big MMA show and you will see ton's of Sprawls. Final thoughts:I would highly recommend all MMA practioners or no-gi grapplers to check out these shorts. They are a fair price, high quality construction, look great, and are highly functional. I would give them a 4.6 out of 5 stars. If they didn't bunch up, they would be the perfect grappling shorts.